British artist Mark Oliver created an awesome series of insect collages new species of insect called The Litter Bug:

“Arthropod sub-species of the Insecta class. A creature whose instinctual and physical qualities have adapted so uniquely to the modern urban environment that it has rendered itself, by nature of camouflage, virtually invisible in it’s normal habitat. When seen in isolation ‘Litter Bugs’ appear to be composed of everyday ‘found’ objects.”

Mark’s beautiful Litter Bugs are made using materials like eyeglasses arms for antennae, clock hands for legs, and covers and pages from books that form delicate wings and carapaces. There are plenty of tiny gears, carefully cut-up tin boxes, fuses, and other beautiful old objects as well. 

Each specimen has its own common and scientific names, both of which are based on some of the objects from which a particular creature has been composed. All of the insects are gathered in two beautiful zoological posters entitled A Compendium of Carabid & Terrestrial Detritus and A Treasury of Winged Insectum & Metamorphosibus.

Visit thelitterbug.com or Mark Oliver’s flickr account to view more of his wonderful entomological creations discoveries.

[via Designboom]

Zoology is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct.

Japanese artist Iori Tomita transforms the scientific technique of preserving and dyeing organisms into an awesome art form with a breathtaking series entitled New World Transparent Specimens.

Tomita’s creation process is both painstaking and time-consuming. After first preserving the animals in formaldehyde, he then removes the scales and skin. Next he soaks the creatures in a stain that dyes the cartilage blue. Tomita uses a digestive enzyme called trypsin, along with a host of other chemicals, to break down the proteins and muscles, halting the process just at the moment they become transparent. The bones are stained with red dye, and the specimen is preserved in a jar of glycerin. From start to finish, the entire production takes about five months to a year.

“People may look at my specimens as an academic material, a piece of art, or even an entrance to philosophy,” says Tomita. “There is no limitation to how you interpret their meaning. I hope you will find my work as a ‘lens’ to project a new image, a new world that you’ve never seen before.”

Visit My Modern Metropolis and Iori Tomita’s website to view more images of his awesome work.

“Flamingos aside, you do not get to see the color pink in the animal kingdom a great deal. A notable exception is the pink katydid. Yet this is by no means a separate species – this coloring affects around one in 500. You may have already guessed that the condition is something similar to albinism.

Known as erythrism, the condition causes a curious reddish pigmentation. It can affect the body of an insect as well as its skin, and it is so rare that it was not noticed by western scientists until 1887. The reason for this oversight was perhaps due to the inclination of the insect to remain perfectly still during daylight hours.

You may also be wondering where this insect got its unusual name. It sounds like a scientific designation but in fact it comes from the noise that the insect makes which forms a song of sorts - katy did katy did katy did. There are literally thousands of species of katydids and many look like leaves or other shrubbery, some have even evolved to look like slime mold.”

Visit The Ark in Space to learn more about and view more wonderful photos of pretty pink katydids. These two were photographed by Richard Whitby (top) and janetandphil (bottom).

[via Neatorama]

This awesome creature (yes, this really is a living thing, not a piece of candy or glass) is a Jewel Caterpillar (Acraga coa) spotted by naturalist and photographer Gerardo Aizpuru near Cancun, Mexico. No word if it tastes like a gummi worm, but we’ll let you take the first bite. Here’s Gerardo’s own description:

“Photo take in a mangrove area , found this Stoning translucent caterpillar lay on a Red Mangrove tree leaf this morning early. Just can believe there is some species like this around the world. looks like made of glass whit small red mushroom inside every pic. about 3 cm long.”

The bottom image, as you might’ve surmised, shows the bright and impressively furry moth that this wicked little caterpillar eventually becomes. Transforming from one sort of awesome creature into another different, but still entirely awesome, creature? We’re seriously impressed.

(Bottom photo taken by David Brownell)

[via Geekologie]